Calendar or the like with detachable overlays

ABSTRACT

A graphic arts product is formed by a plurality of separable plies mounted in superimposed staggered relation over a backing member. The backing member as well as the superimposed plies bear selected graphical representations such as drawings, photographs, numbers, etc., having a pre-established relationship. The superimposed plies are detachably connected whereby removal of one ply exposes the underlying images on two underlying plies or the backing member. The overlay device is particularly adaptable for use as a calendar whereby one overlay will be removed daily to expose a current date having a unique appearance to enhance that date with respect to all other dates. Various and different graphical presentations such as drawings and photographs of any selected subjects, advertising messages and the like may be printed on the backing member. The device may be used for other purposes such as games or similar applications.

United States Patent [191 Bowerman Jan. 8, 1974 CALENDAR OR THE LIKE WITI-I DETACHABLE OVERLAYS [22] Filed: July 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 274,046

[52] U.S. Cl. 40/121, 35/7 [51] Int. Cl. C0911 3/04 [58] Field of Search 40/107, 110, 121; 283/2, 3, 4; 35/7 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,582,355 1/1952 Ratner 283/2 X 3,555,702 l/l97l Van Kirk 35/7 1,519,643 12/1924 Van Arsdale 283/2 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 236,457 7/1925 Great Britain 40/121 27,229 11/1906 Great Britain 40/121 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner J. H. Wolff Att0rneyGerald Altman et a1.

[ ABSTRACT A graphic arts product is formed by a plurality of separable plies mounted in superimposed staggered relation over a backing member. The backing member as well as the superimposed plies bear selected graphical representations such as drawings, photographs, numbers, etc., having a pre-established relationship. The superimposed plies are detachably connected whereby removal of one ply exposes the underlying images on two underlying plies or the backing member. The overlay device is particularly adaptable for use as a calendar whereby one overlay will be removed daily to expose a current date having a unique appearance to enhance that date with respect to all other dates. Various and different graphical presentations such as drawings and photographs of any selected subjects,

advertising messages and the like may be printed on the backing member. The device may be used for other purposes such as games or similar applications.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUJAN 81914 sum 1 or 2 FRIDAY SATURDAY WA) SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDA THURDAY sum 2 0; 2 v

FIG. 3(a) FIG. 3(b) PATENIEB JAN 3 FIG. Bk)

1% FIG. 3(d) CALENDAR on THE LIKE wmr DETACHABLE' OVERLAYS- BACKGROUND THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to graphic art products and more particularly is directed towards a changeable graphic art product comprised of a plurality of image bearing plies mounted in staggered superimposed relation and detachably connected for exposing in sequence different combinations of underlying graphic areas.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional calendars normally are comprised of a grid of numbers arranged in rows and columns under appropriate weekday headings. Such calendars normally show one month or the entire year on one sheet so that often times the user may be somewhat slow in picking out the present date insofar as all numbers are equally visible and there is nothingon the calendar to enhance the present date. There are some calendars of the daily type in which a single date appears on a page or card and, at the start of each day, the user tears off the page bearing previous date. While this type of calendar gives an immediate indication of the present date, it does not show the entire month which is often times desired by a user for planning purposes. Other types of calendars have utilized colored transparency panels as a means for enhancing the present date. However, that type of calendar is lacking in flexibility and does not returnrthe previous dates to a normal appearance so that only the present date stands out against all other dates.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved calendar for emphasizing the present date against all other dates in a group of dates. Another object of this invention is to provide a calendar or the like with removable overlays adapted to enhance the present date and modify the appearance of the preceding date at the same time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention features a graphical calendar or the like, comprising a backing member bearing a plurality of individual printed areas and a plurality of detachably connected plies arranged shingle fashion in superimposed staggered relation', each of the plies having printed areas in registration with at least one underlying printed area in another ply or on the backing member. Each ply is provided with a tab to facilitate removal thereof and expose the printed area on the underlying ply or backing member. Each area may bear a date along with various graphic materials such as drawings, photographs, advertising messages and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a calendar made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective showing details of the FIG. 1 calendar, and,

FIGS. 3 (A), (B), (C) and (D) are fragmentary pla views illustrating the alterations in the calendar through successive dates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10 generally indicates a multi-ply, laminated calendar comprised of a rectangular backing member 12 of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as cardboard or the like on which is detachably superimposed in shingled overlapped staggered relationship a plurality fo plies 14 (A), 14 (B), 14 (C), etc. The plies are laminated over one another and over the backing member 12 preferably by means of a narrow strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive 16 extending about the rear marginal face of each ply.

1 The calendar 10 of the illustrated embodiment is of the grid type being comprised of a plurality of squares 18 arranged in horizontal rows 20 and vertical columns page form and/or on a single large format. In any event each month is printed with an appropriate number of squares l8 suitably numbered.

' On the backing member 12 the squares 18 bear a date number 24 and, optionally, selected graphic material such as photographs, drawings, advertising messages, instructional material, riddles orthe like. The printed date numbers 24, as shown in FIG. 2 all are of a similar appearance so that one date number will not stand out against the other date numbers. Preferably, the graphic material printed 'within each square 18 should be all of the same character or have some common feature. For example, the graphic material within each square 18 may be photographs of a common subject, answers to questions or riddles, the end of an advertising message, or the like. Various types of graphic material may be used for various purposes ranging, for example, from purely esthetic, to educational or to pure advertising.

The plies 14, for the most part, are comprised each of a pair of adjacent squares 26 and 28 in horizontal side-by-side relation defining a pair of consecutive dates. In practice, the squares 26 and 28 areprinted on a single rectangular panel divided into two squares. For convenience in manufacture, a column of rectangular panels are detachably connected as by perforated tear lines 30 to form strips of panels as best shown in FIG. 2. The strips present two vertical columns of date squares, each column bearing the dates of all of the same week days through the month. Thus, in FIG. 2 the uppermost strip ply 14 (D) is formed of panels on which are printed squares representing all of the Wednesdays and Thursdays for the month. The squares each carry the date number of the appropriate square with the date numbers 24 (A) in the left-hand columns being enhanced with respect to the date numbers 24 (B) in the right-hand column as well as the date numbers 24 on the backing member 12. The other strip plies 14 (C) and 14 (B) are printed in a similar fashion and mounted in staggered arrangement. The ply 14 (C) bears squares representing all of the Thursdays and Fridays of the month while the ply 14 (B) carries all of the Fridays and Saturdays. In each case, the left-hand column of dates is a repeat of the right-hand column superimposed over it with the exception that the lefthand dates in the underlying plies are enhanced. This 3 enhancement may be by way of a larger number or, preferably, by coloring the numbers differently from other date numbers so that, when the enhanced number is exposed in the manner to be described below, the date will stand out visibly against all other date numbers and the observers attention is immediately focussed on the enhanced date. For example, in FIG. 1 assuming the present date to be the fourth day of the month, the exposed date number 4 is appropriately printed so that it will be enhanced with respect to all other date numbers. The lowermost strip ply 14 (A) is comprised of but a single row of square panels as is the uppermost left-hand strip ply (not shown in FIG. 2) since they represent the end and beginning days of the weeks. All other plies are comprised of two square rectangular panels bearing two consecutive dates for reasons that will presently appear.

The removable double and single square panels are provided with the pressure-sensitive adhesive about their rear marginal edges and the adhesive preferably extends entirely about the margins of each panel whether single or double. The plies are mounted to one another in the superimposed offset relation shown best in FIG. 2, all of the matching numbers of the days of the week being in registration such that each date will appear three times, once on the backing member 12, once as an enhanced date on the left-hand side of a pair of date squares immediately above the backing member, and once on the right-hand column of a pair of date squares on a panel above the enhanced date square. The right-hand date square is printed with a number which is not enhanced but normally is a duplicate of the number appearing on the backing member 12.

In order to facilitate removal of each detachable panel whether a single or double square, a tab 32 may be provided preferably at the lower right-hand comer thereof.

The calendar is used in the following fashion. As best shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that the present date is the fourth which happens to fall on a Saturday for the illustrated month.

It will be noted that the visible date number 4 is enhanced in FIG. 1 with respect to all other dates for the month, this being done either by enlarging the number, coloring it in a distinctive hue, or otherwise imprinting the numbers so they will be enhanced and immediately visible at a glance. At the end of the day, the panel bearing the enhanced date 4 which in this instance is in a single square panel since it falls on a Saturday, is peeled oof to expose the underlying square on the backing member 12. The number four in the square on the backing member 12 is'in standard or plain print so that the number four is no longer enhanced; At the same time, the next date square panel for Sunday the th is peeled off so that the number five which originally was on an outer pane] and in plain print is removed to expose another intermediate square on which the number five is printed in an enhanced manner. This is best shown in FIGS. 3 (A) and (B) where square date five in FIG. 3 (A) appears first in plain print but being shown in dotted outline 34 in FIG. 3 (B). Thus, on the following day, Monday the 6th, the panel bearing the two squares printed with the enhanced five and the plain six is peeled away to expose the underlying square numbered in a plain five on the backing member and the underlying left-hand square of a panel bearing an enhanced number six. In this fashion the present date, the 6th, is enhanced while the prior date, the 5th, is returned to a plain appearance. Similarly, as the next date seven occurs the double square panel printed with an enhanced six and a plain seven is peeled off to reveal a plain six" in a square on the backing member and an enhanced seven on an intermediate panel ply and a plain eight on the' same panel. The process is repeated from day to day until all of the panels are removed leaving only the backing member exposed.

In practice, the outermost panels exposed at the beginning of the month may all be of graphic material of the same character and all of the intermediate panels on which the enhanced dates appear may bear graphic material also of the same character but somewhat different from that on the first layer, while the backing member may bear different material but again all of the same general character. By way of example, the outermost panels may be printed with questions and the intermediate panels and/or the backing member may carry answers. Quotations, riddles, astrological predictions, mathematical equations, advertising messages and the like may be printed to produce an advertising type of calendar, a game or an instructional board. Other graphic material such as photographs of the same general type may appear first on the outer panels with slightly different photographs appearing on the underlying panels. In the FIG. 3 series, for example, all of the outer panels bear a likeness of the head only of a person while the intermediate panels bear the likeness of the person in half-length-while all of the squares on the backing member bear full length likenesses of the person.

As a modification of this invention, the device may be fabricated in only two plies, both plies being opaque and printed with related material. The outer ply would be detachably connected over the under ply and its removal may expose a color-enhanced calendar date, for example.

Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A calendar or the like, comprising a. a rectangular planar backing member comprising a grid pattern of equally sized date areas, with each date area bearing a different monthly calendar date, all said dates having a first distinctive appearance and each row of said pattern representing a different day of the week,

b. a plurality of first panels disposed in a shingled array on said grid pattern with each said first panels being of a width corresponding to two adjacent rows on said backing member and bearing calendar dates identical to those depicted on a subadjacent area each of said first panels overlapping a single row of an adjacent panel and having date areas corresponding in size and shape to a grid date area on said member,

c. a pair of second panels disposed parallel to said first panels and of a width corresponding to one row on said backing member and bearing calendar dates identical to those depicted on a subadjacent area, each of said second panels having date areas corresponding in size and shape to a grid date area respectively,

e. means detachable connecting each of said date areas on each of said panels to said member and to one another, whereby separation of a date area exon said member, 5 d. said first and second panels characterized by having lines of weakness along contiguous date areas for selective separation therealong, said first and second panels defining a layered configuration with each date area on the backing member including 10 two superimposed panel date areas so as to provide first and second layers respectively, the calendar 4. A calendar according to claim 1 wherein each of dates impressed on said first and second layers said panels is formed with a tab. bearing a second and third distinctive appearance poses a distinctive calendar date on a next subadjacent date area for ready recognition thereof.

2. A calendar according to claim 1 wherein said means includes a pressure sensitive adhesive coating at least the marginal rear faces of said panels.

3. A calendar according to claim 1 including graphic material printed in said areas. 

1. A calendar or the like, comprising a. a rectangular planar backing member comprising a grid pattern of equally sized date areas, with each date area bearing a different monthly calendar date, all said dates having a first distinctive appearance and each row of said pattern representing a different day of the week, b. a plurality of first panels disposed in a shingled array on said grid pattern with each said first panels being of a width corresponding to two adjacent rows on said backing member and bearing calendar dates identical to those depicted on a subadjacent area each of said first panels overlapping a single row of an adjacent panel and having date areas corresponding in size and shape to a grid date area on said member, c. a pair of second panels disposed parallel to said first panels and of a width corresponding to one row on said backing member and bearing calendar dates identical to those depicted on a subadjacent area, each of said second panels having date areas corresponding in size and shape to a grid date area on said member, d. said first and second panels characterized by having lines of weakness along contiguous date areas for selective separation therealong, said first and second panels defining a layered configuration with each date area on the backing member including two superimposed panel date areas so as to provide first and second layers respectively, the calendar dates impressed on said first and second layers bearing a second and third distinctive appearance respectively, e. means detachable connecting each of said date areas on each of said panels to said member and to one another, whereby separation of a date area exposes a distinctive calendar date on a next subadjacent date area for ready recognition thereof.
 2. A calendar according to claim 1 wherein said means includes a pressure sensitive adhesive coating at least the marginal rear faces of said panels.
 3. A calendar according to claim 1 including graphic material printed in said areas.
 4. A calenDar according to claim 1 wherein each of said panels is formed with a tab. 